Breaching the Distance Between Friendship and Love
by Brown Eyes Parker
Summary: It had all started out innocently enough. They had just been two friends going to a Laker's game together. Lisbon had planned it as a celebration, of sorts, to help Jane take his mind off of the Red John trial. For the Live Journal, Mentalist Mini Bang.


**Breaching the Distance Between Friendship and Love**

**A Jane & Lisbon Story**

**Brown Eyes Parker**

**Summary:**

**It had all started out innocently enough. They had just been two friends going to a Laker's game together. Lisbon had planned it as a celebration, of sorts, to help Jane take his mind off of the Red John trial finally closing. It had been a stressful few months for the man and he deserved a break. For the "Mentalist" Mini Bang on Live Journal.**

**Disclaimer: **

**We all know if I owned this, Jane and Lisbon would be together by now. So, obviously I don't own it because Jane is being butt-y and Lisbon is in love with Jane and he's kind of blind to it. Yeah, that's cause guys are mostly writing the show. Seriously, #ifwomenrantheworld. But I digress. Bottom line, I don't own anything.**

**Warnings:**

**Slight spoilers for season 3.**

**Thanks to tromana for beta-ing this. Really a HUGE blessing.**

**.**

It had all started out innocently enough. They had just been two friends going to a Laker's game together. Lisbon had planned it as a celebration, of sorts, to help Jane take his mind off of the Red John trial finally closing. It had been a stressful few months for the man and he deserved a break.

Lisbon stared out the window at the gathering and sighed. Her mind was racing as she thought about what had happened earlier. What it meant. Or didn't mean. She wasn't quite sure.

If somebody had told her what was going to happen at that game, she wouldn't have gone.

No, she told herself firmly. She still would have gone _and_ done everything that she had done. But she would have done it just a little bit differently. A smile spread across her face as she flipped the shades closed and went to get ready for bed. A few minutes later, she sank into her bed, her mind drifting back to the events of the evening.

_Earlier that night:_

"I don't know anything about basketball," Jane groused as they stood in line at the concession stand to buy greasy pizza, overly-buttered popcorn and beer that would be slightly too warm.

"Patrick Jane? Not knowing everything about something? My, my I am shocked," she joked and he scowled.

"I told you-"

"Yeah, things that aren't relevant, you don't bother memorizing. Like rules, instructions…"

"Hey, I resent that!"

"Sure," she answered skeptically. "But don't worry, I'll explain everything to you. I helped coach my youngest brother's basketball team for five years."

"I never had siblings to coach their basketball teams, and—" he stopped short, letting the sentence hang in the air between them.

Lisbon's heart dropped, she had planned this night to help Jane cheer up, not to drudge up painful memories of the things that would never be.

"Agent Lisbon, good to see you again!" a black man with a wide smile, said breaking the tension that had risen.

"Hey Booker!" Lisbon replied, smiling in return. "How are you?"

"Good, good. Sunny and I finally tied the knot," he gushed, pleased to update her. "She's pregnant now; the doctors are saying that it's a honeymoon baby."

"Congratulations!"

Booker threw a sly glance in Jane's direction. "And who's this? I didn't ever think you'd ever bring somebody special to a—"

"He's just a friend, a _good_ friend!" Lisbon interjected, desperate that he wouldn't get the wrong end of the stick. "Patrick, this is Booker Tarpley. Booker, this is Patrick Jane."

"Patrick Jane?" Booker's eyebrows shot up. "Isn't he—?"

"We'll have the usual Booker," Lisbon cut in again.

"So you talk about me to the guy who sells soft pretzels?" Jane asked with a smile.

"Only sort of," Lisbon answered reluctantly.

"Order up!" Booker said before Jane could take the conversation further.

"Thanks."

Automatically, Lisbon reached for her wallet.

"No, no baby!" Booker protested, "this one's on me."

"Thank you," Jane said for her, because she was too busy giving Booker death glares. He picked up the tray of junk food, signaling Lisbon that it was time to go.

"I'm going to kill that Booker and then I'm going to bring him back to clean up the mess," Lisbon barked.

"Because he gave us free food?" Jane asked as he allowed her to pass him and sit down first.

"No, for _why_ he gave us free food," Lisbon replied.

For once, Jane didn't press for details. He just shrugged. "Chill out, Lisbon. I thought we were supposed to have fun tonight."

"You're not having fun?"

"Not with you looking like you're ready to draw your gun at the next unsuspecting victim," Jane answered.

Lisbon slackened her grip on her armrest and sighed. "Jane, I'm sorry. It's just Booker's always… and well, _you__'__d_ hate it too."

"Sure," Jane agreed. "If I actually knew what _it_ was."

"Quiet!" Lisbon ordered playfully as she threw a fistful of popcorn at him.

Jane blinked once and pulled a kernel out of his hair. His eyes twinkled as he tossed it back at her. "Real mature, Lisbon."

"You're smiling, that's all that matters to me," Lisbon said quietly, but by then the game was beginning. Therefore, the comment was lost on Jane.

She sat back and relaxed a little, taking a bite of her pizza while Jane cheered when the opposing team scored a basket, just to get on her nerves.

"You have something on your chin," Jane said when he had turned away from the game.

Lisbon rolled her eyes and bit back a comment while she reached for a wad of napkins to wipe away whatever it was, presumably grease or tomato sauce. But Jane was way ahead of her, blotting at her chin with his handkerchief. She couldn't deny the shudder that ran down her spine. She realized that she had been holding her breath when she pulled away and it came out in one big whoosh.

The moment seemed to be overlooked by Jane, because he was leaning forward again and munching popcorn, fully engrossed in the game.

After telling herself that it was just Jane, Lisbon was able to get into the game too. That was, however, until they turned the Kissing Cam on.

At first it was fun, Lisbon laughed along with everybody else as a teenage boy kissed his girlfriend awkwardly and her heart melted when an elderly couple shared a sweet kiss that spoke of years between them. And then, she froze, because she actually recognized the couple onscreen.

A man with curly, blonde hair and a button down vest (clearly, he wasn't a man who went to sporting events) and a woman with brunette hair and green eyes.

It was her and Jane.

Her consultant offered her a goofy smile and then leaned over to brush her cheek with a kiss.

The small peck elicited boos from the crowds. The next thing Lisbon knew, Jane was leaning over to her again and pressing his lips to hers. Her eyelids fluttered shut and he brought her a little closer. She sighed contentedly, causing him to pull away.

He cleared his throat and rose to his feet, wobbling slightly. "Can I get you anything? Another beer? Those disgusting nachos look promising—"

"A coke," Lisbon managed. She didn't need anymore alcohol. The very thought made her cringe, but Jane's kiss had already given her enough of a buzz.

"Anything else?"

"No, I'm good," Lisbon answered, her cheeks flushing slightly as she did so.

"Good. I'll be back in a second then," Jane said, stumbling out of the arena like a drunk falling out of a bar.

**.**

Lisbon woke up to her alarm clock blasting a rap song in her ear. She groaned inwardly and pressed the snooze button. She had been having the _best_ dream…

Her pulse quickened as the events from the night before came rushing back. It wasn't a dream. She had kissed Jane. No, Jane had kissed _her_. And out of all the places, it just had to be in front of millions of people, didn't it? Most surprisingly of all, she didn't mind as much as she should have. She wanted to do it again, actually. However, she just wasn't sure if Jane wanted the same thing or felt the same way.

Her alarm went off again, this time she took it as a warning and slipped out of bed to get ready for her day.

**.**

"Hey Agent Lisbon," the security guard said as he let her into the CBI. "My wife and I saw you on the TV last night."

Lisbon blushed.

"Really?" she asked, feigning disinterest.

"Really," he confirmed with a nod. "It took the two of you long enough."

Belated embarrassment settled over Lisbon. She hadn't counted on their kiss being televised. She managed to smile and nod though. "You have a nice day Wilbur."

"You too Agent," he replied, having enough sense not to push the subject further.

"Hey Boss," Rigsby said when she entered the bullpen. He smiled at her slyly. "So, where's Jane this morning?"

"Why should _I_ know?" Lisbon asked, struggling to keep her voice down.

"Oh, I think you know why," he replied with a wink and a nudge.

Lisbon refrained from punching the younger agent and looked at Cho, who was smiling smugly behind his book.

"If anybody needs me, I'll be in my office."

"Nice going Wayne," Van Pelt said as Lisbon retreated.

"What? _You_ saw it too," Rigsby shot back. "And you were just as curious!"

"Men," Van Pelt snapped, throwing her pen down and following after her boss. She was determined to talk to her, even if it ended up being like drawing blood out of a stone.

**.**

"You kissed Jane," Van Pelt said, closing Lisbon's door behind her. "You can't deny it, Boss. It was all over ESPN _and _the local stations last night."

"I'm not denying it," Lisbon replied, shuffling papers. "I kissed Jane."

"What was it like?" Van Pelt asked excitedly. In her heart of hearts, she had hoped the pair would make a match.

"It was nice."

"Nice?" she replied, sounding disheartened. "Is that all?"

"Van Pelt…"

"I know, it's just…"

Lisbon stared at her pityingly. Sometimes, Van Pelt was just too determined to try and hear good news stories from other people.

"You know that feeling? When it's like electricity?"

"Yes?"

"It was sort of like that."

"Oh my gosh!" Van Pelt said emphatically, blinking slightly. "Oh my gosh! That means…"

"Ask me if I regret it," Lisbon said.

"Do you regret it?" she asked, suddenly concerned.

"No, no I don't."

"Does he—?"

"No, he doesn't!"

Lisbon and Van Pelt both looked at the door; somehow Jane had slipped in unnoticed.

"I'll just leave you two to talk," Van Pelt said, scurrying back to the bullpen like a giddy schoolchild on the first day of summer break.

"How long has she been waiting?" Lisbon asked playfully.

"Who? Van Pelt?" Jane shrugged. "I'd estimate that she's wanted us to get together since, well, almost as soon as she joined the team."

"But you knew all this time," Lisbon said, with an accusatory tone.

"Really Lisbon, let's be serious. Neither of us were ready for _that_ conversation four years ago!"

"Are we ready now?" Lisbon asked softly.

"Well, it's a little inevitable," Jane answered. "We kissed."

"I was there."

"You didn't regret it?"

"You didn't either," Lisbon answered.

They stared at each other. Lisbon at Jane from behind her desk, and Jane at Lisbon from his spot near the door.

"Lisbon," Jane said. "I thought I knew what I wanted to say to you last night, but I really don't."

"Don't say anything then," Lisbon requested.

Jane gave her an odd smile. "Then what do you suggest we do?"

"Dinner."

"You're really interested in dinner?" Jane asked, not bothering to conceal his shock. "It was just a kiss. A kiss we were pressurized into."

"So?" Lisbon replied desperately. "We both didn't regret it, and pressurized into it or not, you said that it was inevitable."

"Dinner," Jane repeated, running his fingers through his hair and smiling at her. "I like the sound of that."

Lisbon's released a breath, her own face lighting into a smile. And then she frowned again. "Jane, what did you mean by it was inevitable?"

Jane shrugged and finally came over to her, lifting her up by the wrists. "Does it matter?"

"No, I guess not," Lisbon answered, the butterflies stirring up in her stomach.

She knew the answer anyway, everybody in the whole building knew what it meant for them. Instead, she let it slide as Jane's lips found hers and he became her last kiss.

**_The End_**

**Author's Note:**

**Please review, even if you didn't like this. Feedback is ALWAYS apperciated!**

**Love,**

**Holly, 1/4/12**


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